Attention Anglers: Seasonal Trout Streams Open on March 29th

GAINESVILLE, Ga. (3/21/2014)

Plenty of trout are being stocked in north Georgia cold-water streams as anglers prepare for the opening day of seasonal trout streams Sat., March 29, 2014. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plan to stock more than 75,000 trout during the last two weeks of March, with more than 1 million trout scheduled for stocking by the end of this year.

“Trout production has been great at State and Federal hatcheries thanks to the incredible amounts of rain received here in Georgia during the summer of 2013,” says John Lee Thomson, trout stocking coordinator for the Wildlife Resources Division. “All of our hatcheries have good, quality fish ready to stock, so this trout season will prove to be an excellent opportunity to go fish.”

Some popular seasonal streams include Cooper Creek in Union County, Wildcat Creek in Rabun County, Dicks Creek in Lumpkin County and Johns Creek in Floyd County.

“One of the best opportunities for fishing success will be this spring when stream flows are high and the water is cool,” says Thomson.

The daily limit is eight trout on general regulation trout waters. Anglers are reminded to respect private property rights along streams flowing through private lands and to obtain permission before fishing on private property.

Anglers must possess a current Georgia fishing license and a trout license to fish in designated trout waters and to fish for or possess trout. Anglers must also possess a wildlife management area license or Georgia Outdoor Recreation Pass (GORP) in order to fish on certain WMAs. Find a list of designated areas at www.georgiawildlife.com/Georgia-Outdoor-Recreational-Pass .